Steering complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 9 | 6% | 94,000 miles |
| 2007 | 22 | 10% | 60,000 miles |
| 2006 | 42 | 18% | 100,000 miles |
| 2005 | 24 | 16% | 62,000 miles |
| 2004 | 64 | 14% | 70,000 miles |
| 2003 | 2 | 2% | 180,000 miles |
| 2002 | 12 | 4% | 67,000 miles |
| 2001 | 21 | 7% | 87,000 miles |
| 2000 | 35 | 8% | 54,000 miles |
| 1999 | 58 | 14% | 64,000 miles |
| 1998 | 89 | 18% | 97,000 miles |
| 1997 | 216 | 27% | 87,000 miles |
| 1996 | 8 | 10% | 40,000 miles |
| 1995 | 5 | 3% | 151,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Had the power steering replaced 3 times in the last 3 years. Talked to others that have the same car they also have the same problem with the power steering unit leaking. My company had several Grand Prix's as a company car for years they also expressed this was a problem. I've had the lines burst on this unit as well. Also many of them said they didn't fix this they just keep adding fluid weekly. My thought is was thats not good for the environment. I lost all power when the high pressure line burst while going down the express way at 70 MPH. Not cool!
My vehicle has problems with the steering. I was told by my mechanic that my rack and pinon assembly column needs replacing because of a leak. My airbags intermittent work with a passenger sitting in the front seat. My car does this weird jerking motion when I try to accelerate. I not sure if it's my transmission or my engine. I have had the ignition switch replaced in my vehicle and I haven't noticed any changes. I was GM would address my concerns because I am greatly concerned for my safety and my families.
The contact owns a 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was a sudden loss of power steering functionality. The contact coasted to a stop and restarted the vehicle with the ignition key. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the vehicle regained power steering functionality. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred at various speeds. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V400000 (Electrical System); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.
steering wheel refusing to lock. therefore safety issue as car locks will not lock as a result. no messages or warning lights or behaviors. this happened once a year ago. and was able to lock steering by moving wheel and moving key in ignition.
got cutoff on a busy highway going 70mph and they slammed their brakes. i had 6 car lengths between us and immediately started braking but we were just skidding. I had the choice of hitting the vehicle or swerving left towards the median. I chose the latter. The steering locked up, the abs did NOT kick in and the airbags did NOT deploy. we hit a median at 70mph and no airbags?! I was point of impact. It hit the front drivers side, destroying the light and entire front. the car spun around and it hit again but this time it was the back passenger side/light. Again, NO airbags deployed. So my abs, steering, and airbags all had issues. We are so lucky no one is hurt in severeity but I am beyond fuming, scared, and confused why all of those locked up/failed to serve their purpose! …
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix. While traveling less than 15 MPH to enter a drive thru, the steering wheel locked to the right and the vehicle crashed into a wall. The contact had extreme difficulty unlocking the steering wheel and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was unable to be driven. The contact was able to get the vehicle to restart the next day and it was driven to a repair shop. The insurance company repaired the body work. The ignition switch failure and power steering failure were not inspected or diagnosed. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system), but the contact had not received the recall repair appointment. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 09e005000 (steering). A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. …
My car has been acting up for a while. It started with gauges and info center flickering while going down the road like it was losing power intermittently. Than started doing this thing when you start it and let off on the key it continues to turn engine over. I received the letter for the recall and took it in. I told dealer what it was doing and they snapped back and said that wasn't part of the recall. I said oh I thought the ignition switch was the problem they said no. They took my keys put their stupid inserts in and sent me on my way. I have been nervous about it and than today it happened going down highway at 65mph and everything shut off!!! No air bags no power steering no power brakes luckily I was not in traffic and cost to shoulder shut key off restarted car everything fine again. Key never turned to off position. The switch itself is the problem. …
When driving 30 MPH up to 70 MPH all of a sudden the reduced rngine light vomes on and the car starts decelerating to 5 MPH and sometimes cuts off causing power steering to not work. This started after the worked on yhe ignition recall. I asked about it and was charged $75 fir them to put it on the computer. Then was told it would be over $700 for them to find out what's wrong. I don't have that type of money so l let it sit up for awhile only to be yold it could possibly be the gas pedal and wouldn't cost that much to replace... I've almost had two accidents before l could pull over. If it cuts off completely it cranks right back up - sometimes ot will take on off but other times l have to sit and wait because it won't accelerate no faster than 2 to 5 MPH, like something has to catch up. I haven't gotten it fixed yet because l can't afford it.
Related recalls (2)
Steering › Rack and pinion
Certain passenger vehicles have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began on February 5, 2004.
Steering › Rack and pinion
Certain passenger vehicles and Mini vans have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These and some other retainers used in vehicles assembled between January 1, 1996 and October 31, 1997, could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began January 24, 2003.
NHTSA investigations
Steering rack and pinion
Odi has received 200 complaints fromt consumers and 1,238 from GM alleging failure or lockup of the steering rack and pinion unit (r&p).this alleged condition can result in the loss of steering control of the vehicle and a crash can result.GM has reported six crashes in which eight people have sustained injuries ranging from bruises, airbag burn, seat belt abrasion, facial injury, neck and back pain.all crashes were…
Power rack and pinion steering failure
The lower pinion bearing in the rack and pinion steering assembly May fail.GM will recall 1997-98 grand prix built between 1-mar-96 and 31-oct-97; and 1996-98 u-vans/j-cars built between 1-jan-96 and 31-oct-97.see attached summary.
Power steering fluid leaks - fires
General motors (GM) initiated a customer satisfaction campaign in October of 2006 to address a failure of the power steering hose and/or clamps that could occur when the engine is started in vehicles primarily operated in the following states that experience extremely cold temperatures:alaska, maine, minnesota, montana, new hampshire, north dakota, south dakota, vermont, wisconsin and wyoming.at the time this…
Frequently asked questions
Which Pontiac Grand Prix years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1997 (216), 1998 (89), 2004 (64), 1999 (58) and 2006 (42) model years. Steering complaints make up 27% of all complaints for the 1997.
Is there a recall for Pontiac Grand Prix steering problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 03V-527 (rack and pinion, Dec 11, 2003); 02V-286 (rack and pinion, Nov 4, 2002). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Pontiac Grand Prix steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles; 28% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the rack and pinion (227 mentions), followed by the hydraulic power assist system (49).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.